Thrombosis is the formation of a thrombus, or blood clot, within the vascular system of a patient. A blood clot typically occurs when blood hardens from a liquid to a solid. When attached to vessel walls, blood clots, and other substances, such as plaque or fat, may reduce or block blood flow downstream from the clot. This partially or completely blocked blood flow may prevent normal blood flow and oxygen from reaching certain tissues and, thus, may result in damage to the tissues. If a clot becomes dislodged from the vessel walls it may travel to other portions of the vascular system, where it may ultimately occlude critical blood flow. Regardless of the particular location of the clot within the vascular system, clots consisting of blood or other substances, if left untreated, may cause serious damage and, in some cases, may become life threatening.
A wide variety of invasive and non-invasive techniques are available for breaking up and/or removing clots within the vascular system. For example, some techniques include the use of pharmacological agents, also referred to as thrombolytic agents, to help dissolve the clots. Other techniques may include the use of mechanical agitation to dislodge clots from walls of the vascular system. For example, a device described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,645,290 to Lucas includes a catheter having tines that are allowed to expand radially, such as about living hinges, upon the proximal displacement of a sheath. While rotation and/or axial movement of the tined catheter may break up the clot into smaller pieces, the distal tips of the finger-like tines may potentially damage the vessel walls, particularly during reciprocating axial movement. A number of additional risks are associated with clot removal procedures, including risks associated with the use of thrombolytic agents and risks associated with the migration of dislodged portions of the clot. Further, there is a continuing need for clot removal systems that minimize these risks and more efficiently remove clots.
The present disclosure is directed toward one or more of the problems set forth above.